If Texas opened the season today…

Bobby Bragg

08/27/2009

The Longhorns close up shop on Friday for fall camp. The team then takes 48 hours off before reconvening Sunday evening to begin game week preparations for the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks. On Thursday, Mack Brown released his first depth chart of the season.

After almost twenty days of no depth charts, The Texas Longhorns issued the fall's first chart on Thursday afternoon. While many of the positions were forgone conclusions (we're looking at you, Colt McCoy), there are a couple of interesting positions to be noted.

Greg Smith, almost by process of elimination, has won the starting tight end job. However, when the tight end flexes out, expect Dan Buckner to enter the game. Coach Brown actually said that he thought Dan Buckner's play might be the biggest surprise on the offensive side of the ball.

On the offensive line, David Snow is listed as a co-starter at both guard positions and the back-up center to Chris Hall. Brown also said that Hall probably had the best camp of the men in the trenches.

Perhaps in somewhat of a surprise, Vondrell McGee, the redshirt junior from Longview, is listed as the sole starter at running back after expected co-starter Fozzy Whittaker again had a slight injury setback.

On the defensive side, there are very few surprises except for the positioning of the first player in the co-starter role at strongside linebacker and right safety. Emmanuel Acho and Keenan Robinson are listed as co-starters but the younger player, Acho, is listed first. At right safety, last year's starter Blake Gideon is still listed as a co-starter but Christian Scott is listed first.

On special teams, the only kicking job locked down is that of the kickoffs. Seniors Hunter Lawrence and Ryan Bailey are still in a dead heat for the place kicking duties while punters Justin Tucker and John Gold will split duties depending upon the need for rugby or traditional punts.

Jordan Shipley will also be a busy man on special teams as he is the number one punt returner, one of the first pair of kickoff returners with Christian Scott, and the holder on field goal attempts.